The North Kansas City Stormwater Master Plan is a comprehensive assessment of the City's stormwater infrastructure and provides the City with an action-oriented stormwater master plan. This plan is essential to guide future planning, maintenance, and financial allocation for stormwater-related projects and new development in North Kansas City. The plan will serve as a living document, subject to regular reviews and updates to ensure continued relevance and effectiveness in meeting the City's evolving stormwater management needs. By adopting the Stormwater Master Plan, the City can move forward with a proactive and informed approach to enhance the efficiency and resilience of its stormwater infrastructure.

This plan was adopted by City Council in June of 2024 and be found at the link below:

Stormwater Master Plan

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

The Clean Water Act, created in 1972, prohibits anyone from discharging "pollutants" through a "point source" into a "water of the United States" unless they have an NPDES permit. The permit contains limits on what can be discharged, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to ensure that the discharge does not affect water quality or people's health. In essence, the permit translates general requirements of the Clean Water Act into specific provisions tailored to the operations of any discharging of pollutants.

The NPDES stormwater program regulates stormwater discharges from three potential sources: municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s), construction activities, and industrial activities. Operators of these sources may be required to obtain an NPDES permit before they can discharge stormwater. This permitting mechanism is designed to prevent stormwater runoff from washing harmful pollutants into local surface waters.

Population growth and the development of urban/urbanized areas are major contributors to the number of pollutants in the runoff as well as the volume and rate of runoff from impervious surfaces. Together, they can cause changes in hydrology and water quality that result in habitat modification and loss, increased flooding, decreased aquatic biological diversity, and increased sedimentation and erosion. The benefits of effective stormwater runoff management can include:

• protection of wetlands and aquatic ecosystems,
• improved quality of receiving waterbodies,
• conservation of water resources,
• protection of public health, and
• flood control.

There are several simple actions residents and businesses can take to help keep our waterways clean:

• Never pour household chemicals down a stormwater drain.
• Use phosphate-free soaps and detergents items outside. (i.e. car)
• Use fertilizers and pesticides as little as possible.
• Pick up pet waste from your yard. Carry disposable bags while walking your dog to pick up and dispose of waste properly.
• Mulch or compost yard waste.
• Never discard trash or yard waste down storm drains or in the street.
• Report suspected illicit discharge into the storm sewer to the Public Works Department (Automotive fluids, Landscape waste, Solvents, Trash, etc.).

To access educational resources from the Mid-America Regional Council click here

To access educational resources from the EPA click here